EVANS

als.

“I felt really good,” Evans said of his season. “I went into it strong and I finished strong, which is what I was wanting to do for my senior season.”

This was Evans’ second season at Gila Ridge after transferring from Cibola, and his improvement as a Hawk was drastic.

In five invites (totaling six swims) last year, Evans posted a sub-1:06 100-breast time just once — at state, when he clocked a 1:04.87.

In five invites (totaling seven swims) this year, Evans went sub-1:06 every time and on four occasions went sub-1:03 — while saving his best for last, dropping to 1:01.15 in the state prelims (and 1:01.29 in finals).

“For him it all came down to new technique this year,” Gila Ridge coach Greg Brown said. “Our assistant coach really focused breaststrokers into a new wave technique that she’s very good at teaching. (Evans) bought into it at the end of last year and he just continued throughout this year to work on it.

“For him it was getting that motion of the wave technique down and then more than anything focusing on his turns.”

Evans set a goal before the season of a 1-minute flat in the 100 breast, and though he didn’t quite hit that mark, he acknowledged that 1:01 “is still something to be proud of.”

“He set a goal and he really, really, really tried to get to it, and he did extremely well,” Brown said. “And I think he definitely deserves (Swimmer of the Year).”

Evans also notably improved in the 200 IM, dropping his personal-best from 2:05.34 last year to 2:02.69 this year (set in the state finals).

He said he enjoys the 200 IM because “it’s every stroke in one” and makes him a more well-rounded swimmer than others.

Brown has always seen this type of potential in Evans.

“If you look at him, his body is perfect for swim,” Brown said. “He’s got that length to him and he holds muscle well and he stays lean and you knew he could be a good swimmer. That was never a question. It was just, ‘Where is he going to fit on the team?’”

In addition to fitting in as a star of two individual events, Evans also was a member of two relays that swam at state — the 400yard freestyle and the 200yard medley (10th at state).

In the 400 free relay, he displayed his versatility by clocking a 50.59 on his leg (the third) in the finals to help Gila Ridge place seventh as a team.

“I was hoping he’d get 52s, and for him to go low 50s, that was perfect,” Brown said.

“Coming into high school I didn’t really think I was going to make state, I didn’t think I was going to be all that,” Evans said. “But I’m glad I put the work in.”